Nazareth gets its hardware store back

New owners reopen Nazareth Hardware after the business closed in 2009.

May 21, 2011|Retail Watch | Scanning the Storefronts

The closing of Nazareth Hardware left a big void in the borough's downtown, and longtime resident Barbara Werkheiser took notice.

"Nobody wants to drive down the street and see empty storefronts," she said.

Werkheiser, a chief claims consultant for Guardian Life Insurance Co. of America, recently teamed with longtime friend Mike Meixell to reopen the hardware store at 49 S. Main St. as Nazareth Hometown Hardware.

This is the duo's first venture into the hardware store business. Meixell is a maintenance supervisor at the nearby Moravian Hall Square retirement home.

The newbies did some homework by visiting hardware stores in neighboring states.

Nazareth Hardware closed in late 2009 due in part to the lackluster economy, its owners had said.

Werkheiser said Nazareth needed a local hardware store that would be known for its proximity and customer service, something she said is missing at the big box chains like Home Depot, Lowe's and Tractor Supply, all of which surround the area.

Speaking of box stores: The electronics front is dwindling a bit with 6th Ave Electronics exiting the Philadelphia metro area and Best Buy cutting back on brick and mortar stores in response to competition from online retailers and discounters like Walmart.

Best Buy, the nation's largest electronics retailer, recently announced plans to cut its big-box store square footage by 10 percent during the next three to five years and focus on boosting its online presence. The company did not elaborate much, but there is reason for local concern since Best Buy has multiplied its Lehigh Valley footprint in recent years amid high demand for must-have devices such as flat-screen televisions.

The Minnesota-based company joined hhgregg and 6th Ave. Electronics in trying to fill the void when Circuit City went bankrupt and closed all stores in 2009. Hhgregg opened in Whitehall Township, 6th Ave opened in Montgomeryville and Best Buy built stores in Richland Township, Bethlehem Township and Phillipsburg, in addition to its location in Whitehall Township.

Hhgregg is still here, but 6th Avenue closed its Montgomeryville store and its two other Philadelphia area stores.

Industry analysts have said such the big boxes are losing some market share as more consumers look for deals online and discounters like Walmart and Target offer similar merchandise.

Speaking of Walmart, the one-stop-shop merchant recently announced plans to shrink its electronics showroom space because the devices are getting smaller. What's next? Well, the company is testing selling household appliances in Texas.

In other retail news (more items at http://blogs.mcall.com/retailwatch):

The White Castle fast-food restaurant is scheduled to open by "late summer," in front of the Home Depot on MacArthur Road in Whitehall Township, a company spokeswoman said Monday.

Yes, that's as specific the company wants to be at the moment. Plans for the White Castle started in 2009, but development has been delayed due to land construction approvals, officials have said.

Let's not forget the property is on a flood plain, which can complicate development.

This will be the Valley's only White Castle, which was immortalized in the 2004 comedy "Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle." The chain has a cult-like following and is known for its small burgers — dubbed Sliders — and signature castle-like white restaurant buildings.

Whitehall will be the only Pennsylvania location for White Castle, which has 400 locations nationwide, according to its website. White Castle has mentioned plans to build a restaurant in the Pohatcong Plaza II on Route 22 in Phillipsburg.

• Frozen-yogurt chain So Fun! Yogurt opened its inaugural store in the Lower Nazareth Commons on Route 248 in Lower Nazareth Township.

The Lower Nazareth store and the soon-to-open store in Wayne, Delaware County, are the first stores for So Fun! Yogurt.

The chain offers 60 flavors of frozen yogurt, with a rotating selection of 16 featured daily, according to a written statement. So Fun also offers toppings such as fresh fruit, cereals, cookies, candy and other treats.

Discount store Kmart opened days ago at the former Sears Essentials on Route 191 in Bethlehem Township.